Bar hit by fire now reports break-in

A popular H Street hangout that was ravaged by fire last month has been broken into, according to a posting on the tavern’s Web site.

A co-owner of Argonaut, Scott Magnuson, arrived at the bar last week to find an air-conditioner dislodged from a window. Inside, he found a gumball machine had been broken, a juke box opened and bottles broken on the floor.

Police were able to recover prints from the scene, the posting said.

Earlier, a cooler and some umbrellas had been taken from the bar.

The tavern’s owners have been working on repairs after a fire gutted the kitchen and damaged the interior with smoke June 20. They expect to announce a re-opening date this week, according to the site.

-- Mike McPhate